Loving Lovegood
by fiskers1
Summary: Life is full of tragedies, from death to realationship problems.  This is the story of how I, Neville Longbottom, got through these, oh, and also there is a murderer trying to kill me.
1. Squib

My eyes fell on the jug of water. "I can do this!" I whispered to myself. I stared furiously at it, not blinking. Gran was watching me intently, waiting for it. I stared and stared, nothing happened. I was so angry that I could smash something, but then, just as I was about to give up, the jug goes flying into the wall, smashing to smithereens. I looked up at Gran, happiness filling my face, until I saw great-uncle Algie standing, wand out. "Sorry," he said, sarcastically, "I was getting bored!"

My face fell. Just as I began to think I was a wizard, Algie ruined it. Gran looked down, "Neville, maybe you're just never going to be ready, maybe you're going to be a… a squib," she told me, hesitating on the last word.

"No!" I yelled, I hated the word Squib, and the only time it was used in our household was when they were talking to me. "I'm going to be a wizard, I'm going to!" I said, my voice full of doubt.

Great-uncle Algie laughed. "You're as much of a wizard as I am a goblin!" he joked.

"But Uncle, I'm not _that _magical!" I muttered.

"What did you say boy?" but I could tell by the humour in his voice that he was joking.

"I promise by my eighth birthday, I will be a wizard!" I declared, wavering as if unsure.

"And I claim that by your fiftieth birthday, you still won't!" Algie chuckled.

My eyes filled with tears, but I didn't know why, Algie was always like this. I began to get angry with my self and I stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut. I wished mum and dad were there, I wished they weren't stuck in the St. Mungo's. Nobody ever talked about them anymore, but every time I was teased for being a squib, I thought of them, and that their son couldn't be non-magical. My chest filled with pride, and I spent the rest of the day staring at objects, trying to make them move.

My eighth birthday came and went, and still I hadn't done anything. A couple of times I'd thought I had done something, but it had turned out to be an accident, like the time I though I'd popped a car tyre, but it turned out it had just driven over a spike.

Gran decided that we should all go up to Blackpool for a trip, and all I did was sit on the beach and try not to get to cold on the wet and windy seaside. Algie and great-aunt Enid were swimming in the sea, thanks to a charm Enid had put on them. Many of the locals just stared at them, wondering how they did it. I hated swimming, I had never learned, and I never wanted to, I just liked gardening and reading about it, much to Algie's disappointment.

Gran sat next to me, reading a book called _Hogwarts, a History _often stopping to show me pictures of the school. One of the pictures I saw was of a Quidditch match, and the players zoomed across the picture. Another thing I didn't like was Quidditch. I loved watching it, but I never enjoyed flying a broomstick, as it always ended with me crashing into a window.

Gran noticed how bored I was and sent me to go and see the view from the pier. I walked along, hands in pockets, staring at the almost brown sand. When I got to the pier, I admired the wooden structure and walked along past a ride and stalls. When I reached the end, I sat down and dangled my legs over the edge. I sighed, as the cold wind pressed against me. All of a sudden, I felt two hands pressing against my back. I was shoved off of the pier and was now plummeting towards the cold sea. For the second I was in the air, I managed to take in a deep breath and prepare myself for the impact. _CRASH!_ Water was around me and I was panicking. As soon as I opened my eyes, they stung, and I shut them quickly. I tried kicking, but I couldn't reach the surface. My lungs were pushing together, screaming for oxygen, but I couldn't get any. My brain started to not function properly, and I couldn't think of what to do. As my eyesight started to fade, I suddenly realised who pushed me. Great-uncle Algie. He was probably trying to force magic out of me, but he knew clearly well that it wouldn't help. A pair of hands grabbed my chest and pulled me towards the surface, where I gulped in fresh mouthfuls of air and relaxed my thought. I turn to see Enid, smiling at me, her eyes concealed with her goggles. I'm pulled to shore where a group of muggles had gathered, and I sit there, while gran had a furious conversation with Algie, and I smile to myself. Justice.

We all sat at the table together, eating and chatting politely. Auntie Suzie had her children round, but they were all years older than me. After dinner, we were excused from the table for a break before dessert. I went into my room and sat there reading a book called _Fertilisation Mushrooms_. There was a knock on my door, and uncle Algie entered. "Better come down otherwise I'll have eaten all of the meringues myself!" he said.

"Please don't do that, you're fat enough as it is!" I laughed.

"Pardon me? Did you just call me fat?" Algie asked, while going over to the window. "No, sorry, I meant to say enormous!" I giggled.

"Is that so?" he asked, flinging the window open, "Well, you're not one to talk."

I giggled even more. "In fact, if I were to drop you out the window, your fat would comfort your fall and you wouldn't feel a thing," he said, hoisting me off the bed by my ankles, and I was surprised by the strength of the old man. He hung me out of the window, head pointing to the ground. I couldn't control my laughing, and I didn't notice when Enid came in. She asked Algie if he wanted a meringue, and somehow, he forgot he was holding an eight year old boy and let go, reaching for the plate. I screamed as I plummeted to the ground, knowing that I was going to die. Algie has tried to kill me… again!

And then I bounced. My head just hit the drive way and bounced back up. I kept on bouncing like a rubber ball, until I got to the road, where I bounced to a stop. I heard everyone cheering, and I could even hear my gran sobbing with happiness, and I knew then that I wasn't a squib.


	2. Sorting

"Keep an eye on him!" yelled gran, shoving the toad into my hands as the train picked up speed, "Love you Neville! Have a great first year!"

It had been 2 and a half years since I had learnt how to use magic, and now, at 11 o'clock on September 1st I was on my way to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express, my head buzzing with excitement.

I waved at her until she was out of sight. As I shut the window, I stuffed Trevor into his cage. "You nearly got stepped on this time, so watch it!" I whispered to him.

I sat alone in a carriage, looking out of the window as the landscape whizzed past. I tried to name as many plants as I could. I was so engrossed that I didn't see the door slide open. A girl with bushy brown hair entered, and sat down opposite me. She was already wearing her school robes. "Hello there, my names Hermione Granger, what's yours?" she says, showing her teeth which had gaps between them.

"I- I'm Neville Longbottom," I said, nervously swallowing.

"Pleasure to meet you, Neville," she replied, extending her hand for me to shake.

I awkwardly shook it and while thinking how posh this girl was. "Are you looking forward to the lessons? I am, I just can't wait to get started. I have read loads of books lately and I have been revising. I really want to try out Transfiguration, I read that Professor McGonagall is an excellent teacher, and I just can't wait to meet her…" and of she went, talking about every subject in turn how she's revised for it.

I zoned out halfway through her rant, trying to be polite but struggling. All of a sudden, a scream filled the carriage. "Toad!" she shrieked, sweeping Trevor onto the floor, where he quickly sprung out of the door and down the corridor.

"No, that's Trevor!" I yelled, but it was too late, he had already gone.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I thought he'd snuck on! I hate toads! I'll help you find him," she said quickly that I only caught a few snippets.

"Okay, thanks," I replied, and we both ran out onto the corridor.

It was amazing how fast Trevor had hopped. I had no idea where he had gone, so I sent Hermione up the corridor and I went down. I reached a door and timidly knocked on the glass window. I entered and asked if they had seen a toad, and they all sniggered before answering no. I carried on asking until I had reached the end of the corridor. I sighed and decided to turn back and see if Hermione had found him, and then I heard a shriek and knew she had found him. She came sprinting back to me, her hands cupped and her face full of disgust. She dropped Trevor into my hands and wiped the on her robes like they had mud all over them. "Guess who I just saw?" she asked, pulling herself together, "Harry Potter!" she blurts out before I could guess.

My mouth hangs open. Harry Potter. The boy who survived You-Know-Who's attack was on the same train as me? I acted like a little kid on Christmas. I couldn't wait to tell gran.

"Anyway, you'd better get your robes on, we're nearly there!" she says, beaming.

I get changed quickly, after putting Trevor back in his cage. How had he gotten out of there?

Once the train slows to a halt, all the first years were made to follow a gigantic man called Hagrid. I tried to get a glimpse of Harry, but so did everyone else. As we piled onto boats, we travel along a dark lake, but nothing is pulling us. I'm amazed by this until I catch sight of the castle. The amazing structure is so overwhelming that everyone on the boats gasped. Turrets and towers pointed towards the sky and the lights in the windows make the place look magical. We all got off the boats and I still didn't take my eyes off the castle, until Hagrid called "Oy, you the! Is this your toad?"

I turn round and see Hagrid holding Trevor, who had escaped… again.

After we had been escorted into the Great Hall, we lined up smartly awaiting a further instruction. I was really self conscious standing with the group in front of the whole school. The names rattled off and suddenly my name was called. I panicked and slowly walked up and sat on the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on my head and I waited nervously for a minute or two with the hat covering my sight. I was thinking about becoming a Hufflepuff, like the rest of my family had, but then the Sorting Hat yelled in a booming voice, "GRYFFINDOR!"

I nearly fell of the stool. Gryffindor? Me, in the house of bravery? There must've been a mistake, but I got up and ran to the table, forgetting to take off the hat. I walked back and handed it over while the whole school laughed. I felt my face burning as I turned and sat down with the cheering Gryffindors. I still felt out of place, and I glanced over at the Hufflepuff table, where I should be sitting, and yet, I'm not. I feeling of pride filled my chest. I'm a Gryffindor.


	3. Hermione

"Hey, Neville," said Hermione, as she was sitting on the seat next to the hospital bed. "How's your wrist?" she asked, clearly concerned.

"It's okay," I said, uncertainly twisting it until the pain was unbearable, "I new I shouldn't have gone on that broom, but I though it would be different this time, instead it tried to buck me off,"

"You dropped your Remembrall and Malfoy threw it away, but Harry saved it for you," she said, producing the glass ball.

"Harry saved it?" I ask, not believing her.

"Yes, he was very idiotic, wasn't he? I told him not to, but he chased after Malfoy on his broom and caught it in mid-air. Professor McGonagall was appalled!" then she went off ranting again.

Hermione and I had kind of accepted each others company. We were both out casted by the others in our year, and when I was in the Library; she helped me with my homework. We talked to each other during break, sometimes Seamus Finnigan and Hannah Abbot joining them. For some reason, I had started to have a crush on her. Despite her constant talking, I liked her a lot. She was always there for me when I was bullied by Malfoy, and she also helped me when he casted a Jelly-legs jinx on me.

I found all of the classes very interesting, but I mostly enjoyed Herbology. I had a natural talent for it, Mrs Sprout even said so herself. The one teacher I absolutely hated was Professor Snape. In the first lesson he made it clear that he detested me like an annoying wasp that wouldn't go away, but I also saw something deeper in his eyes which made no sense at all to me. Shame. I just dismissed this because why would he hate me, and then be shameful about it? He never listened to me when I needed help, and he just swished away with his black cloak trailing behind him.

"I really think you should get some homework done in here, Neville," Hermione said as I zoned back into the conversation. "Don't you? I mean, you don't have to go to class, and it's your left wrist that's broken, not your right. I think that this is key working time for you, otherwise you will have to do it at the end of the day," another thing I found annoying about Hermione was her passion for homework.

"Yeah, I suppose," I say, wishing I hadn't as she went of again about the amount of homework we get and that we should get more.

She sighs and smiles at me. "I've got to go to class soon, so I hope you begin to feel better soon," and with that she's swinging her schoolbag on and speed-walking off to her next lesson.

Madam Pomfrey came over to check on my hand and gave me a horrible medicine to drink. I obey and then she leaves, telling me that I'll be ready to go by the end of school. I nearly cheer, that meant I missed potions. I looked about the Hospital Wing and stared at the empty beds, except from the one I'm in. I looked out the window and saw the Scottish landscape which was slowly turning brown and orange from the dead leaves. I hated autumn; it was when all the plants started to die. My eyes closed and before I know it, I've fallen asleep.

It had been a month since the broom accident, and Malfoy's relentless bullying hadn't stopped in the slightest. I'd had nearly all of the prank charms and jinxes placed on me, all of which Hermione had saved me from. I felt that I should do something about it, but I always shrunk back whenever I was about to stand up for myself.

On Halloween, I found Hermione just before last lesson. She stormed right past me, and when I asked her what was wrong, she yelled at me. "Doesn't it bother you, Neville, that everyone thinks we're complete weirdoes? Doesn't it bother you that no one cares what happens to you, because you aren't they're friend?" she shrieked, tears streaming down her cheeks.

And before I could answer, she's steaming away from me, wiping he eyes on her cuffs. I wondered what was wrong with her, but I decided to go to dinner, I was hungry anyway.

As I entered the great hall, I gasped. The whole entire place was covered in orange and dark green decorations. Pumpkins were placed on every table and fog hung in the air, giving the room an eerie feature. Once everyone had arrived, we had to sit in our houses at our tables. I looked about the table for Hermione, but I couldn't see her. Food suddenly appeared on the tables, which always got a "Whoa!" from everyone in the room. I got stuck in and wolfed down chicken and potatoes wedges. I nearly forgot about Hermione, until I heard Lavender Brown mention her name. "What's that?" I asked her.

"Oh, Pravati told me that Hermione's is in the girl's bathroom crying her eyes out, and whenever someone asks her what's wrong, she ignores them," Lavender told me, turning back to her conversation.

Then, Professor Quirrell came stumbling into the Great Hall. He stopped in the middle, all eyes where on him. He caught his breath, and yelled out, "Troll – in the dungeons – thought you'd ought to know," and the he sunk to the floor, unconscious.

The pupils exploded in terror. Professor Dumbledore told us all to head to the dormitories. As I followed Ron's brother, Percy, I saw Harry and Ron slip from the crowd. I was about to tell Percy, but I realised that would make me even more unpopular.

The image of Harry and Ron running away and of Hermione's face streaked with tears made questions appear in my head. What if they are all killed by the troll? I thought to myself. Just then, Hermione entered the Common Room, and I wave of relief hit me. She's okay, but then I noticed the bits of wood and dust all over her robes. She went straight up into the girl's dormitories. A minute later, Harry and Ron entered, beaming, but equally as dusty. They both went into our dormitories, and I was left standing on my own, completely confused.

The next few days, Hermione spent her time with Harry and Ron. I never really talked to her after that, and she never tried any attempt to talk back to me. I felt so upset and lonely, as I walked from class to class on my own. I realised, then, that I had lost my only friend.


	4. Luna

I sat on my own, again. The train was gliding along, and I didn't even notice the change from England to Scotland. Ever since Hermione had joined with Harry and Ron I had never spoken to her, until the night she used Petrificus Totalus on me. That was the night I knew our friendship had ended. The year had been good, except for the constant tormenting from Malfoy. I was the Gryffindor hero when I scored the 5 points, winning us the house cup, and everyone was friendly to me. That was probably the highlight of the year. It was now the second year of Hogwarts, and after a good holiday with gran and Algie, I was raring to do some magic. I thought about Harry. He was kind to me, and so was Ron, but I always thought of him as being the guy who took Hermione away. I shrugged it off. We weren't that close anyway, Hermione and I. I was snuggling up to sleep for the ride, when a girl slid into the compartment. Her hair was a bright blond, almost white. She sat down opposite me, and I couldn't help but thinking this was exactly the same as Hermione and I met. A shock of recognition hit me as I realised who this girl was. Luna, the girl from St. Mungo's. She smiled at me, smiling, obviously recognising me.

It had been when I was 7 years old. I had gone to visit mum and dad in St. Mungo's with gran, when I saw this girl. She was a year younger than me, and I soon found out that she was very confident when she came over and started talking to me. "Hello, I'm Luna Lovegood. You've got loads of rackspurts by the way, maybe you should check them out," said the six year-old.

"Rackspurts? What are they?" I asked puzzled.

"Oh, I guess you haven't read the _Quibbler_, my dad's the editor!" she told me.

"Right…" I said, having no idea what she was going on about.

"What are you here for? I'm here doing volunteer work with daddy."

"I'm visiting my parents," I informed her.

"Really, why are they here?" she asked inquisitively.

I always tried to avoid this question, but something about this girl made me tell her. "They were tortured and now they're here, because their brains don't function properly anymore," I said.

Her eyes widened, scared of what I just said, and I understood why, she was only 6. I then realised that she was the only person who I had talked about my parents with, except with gran. She ten smiled warmly, and then told me about the many things of which nargles can do to your brain. She asked me a lot of questions as well, which I tried my best to answer, but I really didn't understand the things she was saying apart from when she asked me what my name was. When I had to go, she told me that she looked forward to seeing me at Hogwarts. And now, looking at her in front of me, I realised just how much I liked her.

"How have you been, since I last saw you?" she asked, her dreamy voice filling the room.

"I'm okay, what about you?"

"Well, I was shocked to hear that no one here knows what nargles are, I mean, what are they reading?" she asked me rhetorically.

She was holding a copy of the _Quibbler_, and on the front cover it said 'How to tell the difference between a shnapperson and a wingdinger' both of which I had no idea of what they were.

We chatted about loads of stuff, mainly Hogwarts. Hermione walked past, and looked into through the window. Her face brightened up when she saw me, but then she saw Luna, and a tinge of jealousy crossed her face. Jealousy? Why should _she _be jealous when she was the one who left me for Harry and Ron? I felt like flinging open the door and shouting at her, but I didn't and just waved at her to enter. "Hi, Hermione," I said as she came through the door, "This is Luna Lovegood, she's a first year."

Hermione came in and sat down beside me. She smiled at Luna, and Luna smiled back. There was an awkward silence which was broken by the trolley lady. "Anything from the trolley?" she asked, her wrinkled hands clutching the handle bars.

Sweets were stacked up high, as many as you could imagine. I leapt up quickly, knowing how impatient she was. I ordered _Berty-Botts Every Flavoured Beans_ and a couple of _Chocolate Frogs_. I sat down, and Luna got up to buy a couple of sweets. "Where are Harry and Ron?" I asked Hermione.

"Oh, I don't have a clue, neither Fred, nor George knows where they are, and I also searched for them, no sign,"

Oh, great, the only reason she is sitting here now is because her first option wasn't there. I ignore the feeling inside me, and showed her Trevor, which she laughed at. Trevor was what had made us friends. Luna sat down, holding a bunch of sweets I had never seen before, one of which was called _Frosted Butterflies _and I hoped they weren't real butterflies, but, knowing Luna, they probably were.

We talked and talked. The light was fading outside, but I didn't care. I was strengthening my friendship with Hermione, knowing that when Harry and Ron showed up, she'd slip away again. An odd feeling inside me wished that they had both missed the train, and that they were now stuck in London for the whole year, but I knew that was cruel. I was pleased of the fact that I had another friend, Luna. She was very friendly, and I knew that even if Hermione deserted me, Luna wouldn't, she was that type of person.

When we arrived, we had to separate. Luna went with the other first years, confusing Ginny Weasley about facts on Nargles, while Hermione and I went to the carts for the journey up to the school. When we got to the school, we entered the Great Hall, still amazed by the huge room. We sat down at the Gryffindor Table waited for the first years to get the sorting done.

Luna and her fellow classmates entered, chattering excitedly. The names were rattled out, and the Houses were sorted. Luna was called, and she sat on the stool. The hat was placed on her head, and nearly as soon as it had touched her head, it called "RAVENCLAW!"

My heart sunk. Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor. I knew she wasn't the type of person you'd put in Gryffindor, but then again, neither was I. I watched as she walked off, a beaming smile on her face, as she sat with her new House. I smiled weakly at her as she searched my face out on the table, but inside I felt lonely, again.


	5. the Kiss

I sat beside Hermione's hospital bed, and I couldn't help feeling that this was the complete opposite last year. I stared into her eyes, filled with so much terror that I quickly diverted my eyes. Luna sat beside me, equally as solemn. It had been months since the train ride, and even though they we hadn't spoken much since then, I had decided to repay the favour and visit Hermione. Luna, who I had grown attached to and she had became my best friend, was raking Hermione's hair with a brush, muttering that darkals could latch onto it, making her go crazy. I leant over and held Hermione's hand, knowing that she wouldn't remember a thing, but still wanting to.

Luna started singing a song that would protect her from invisible creatures, and then placed a necklace with a pebble, which had a hole through it around Hermione's neck. I had learnt not to question Luna, and to just accept the things she knew.

Hermione was always walking with Harry and Ron, and I hardly ever saw her, but whenever she saw Luna and me together, the same look of jealousy spread over her face. I still didn't understand her.

Luna told me that it was time to leave, and she skipped out of the Hospital Wing, but I stayed, holding Hermione's hand. I stood up, and before I could stop myself, I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. I stood right up, looking about, embarrassed, but not a person was in sight. I sprinted out of the room and rounded the corner, before bumping right into Harry. We both collapsed to the floor. "Sorry! Sorry!" I said, scrambling up from the floor before helping Harry gather his stuff up.

"Hey, calm down! It's fine!" Harry said, grinning.

"What are you doing here, Neville?" Ron asked me, and I immediately knew that my face was bright red.

"I was looking for Luna, have you seen her?" I said which was half true. For some reason I didn't want to mention Hermione.

"Yeah, she's just down there," Harry told me, pointing behind him.

"Thanks," I said, starting to run again.

I felt really nervous talking to Luna, and I felt that I had betrayed her in some way. She was completely oblivious and we began to chat about Herbology. We walked for a while, and she got out her wand and started transfiguring stones into mice. She had a natural talent for the subject, and I respected her love for animals. She smiled and laughed with me, and then it hit me. The reason why I felt that I had betrayed Luna was because I had a crush on her as well.

A few weeks later, and Harry had defeated the Dark Lord… again. I was slightly jealous of him. He always got the glory and the praise, and I was always overlooked. The nurse's had begun healing those who had been attacked by the mandrakes, and I was eager to meet Hermione when she was conscious. Luna and I visited Hermione daily, and I brought flowers from the school grounds. We told her what was happening about the school, even though she wasn't able to hear it. I was hoping that some of it would gather stay in her head and she would know that we were both there, visiting her. It was the day before the end of the year, and I was showing Luna all of the secret passage-ways. We laughed as one of the portraits started yelling at us to go away, when Malfoy and his gang showed up. "Oh, look its Longbottom and 'Looney' Lovegood," he said, Crabbe and Goyle sniggering behind him.

I hadn't managed to stand up to Malfoy this year, and the past few weeks had been unpleasant as Malfoy seemed eager on tormenting me for no particular reason. "Been meeting up with the Mud-blood lately have we, Neville?" Malfoy asked, with a look of knowing on his face.

Horror struck my face as I knew what Malfoy was talking about. Some how he knew about my kiss with Hermione. Malfoy burst out laughing, and then he pulled him self together. "Does 'Looney' know about it?" he chuckled.

"What's he talking about, Neville?" Luna asked me, staring into my eyes.

"Oh, nothing much, just a bit of kissing with a certain petrified person," Malfoy answered for me.

"What?" Luna asked, her face exactly the same as when Hermione she saw me with Luna.

Anger roared inside me, and I leapt onto Malfoy, smacking his face with my fists. Punch after punch was laid on his cheeks, and Malfoy was completely unsuspecting it. I clawed and thrashed, and two pairs of hands were placed on me, only they were blasted away. Luna had hit them with a simple slamming jinx. Just as I was about to continue beating up Malfoy, another pair of hands were placed on me. They were Luna's, and she was terrified at what I was doing. I got up off of Malfoy, and looked at my knuckles. They were blood stained, and I saw that Malfoy had blood streaming from his nose. Luna glared at me, before steaming away down the stairs. I followed, but she told me to leave her alone. Malfoy's voice called out. "Yeah, you better run," but his tone gave a complete different meaning to the words. Pain and shock.

I ran to the Gryffindor common room and flung my self on my bed. I curled up and fell asleep, not bothering to wash the blood off of my hands.

I was awoken by Seamus, who had come to take me to the Dinner. When I got there, the whole of the Great Hall was packed with students. I sat down next to Seamus and talked quietly to him. The Great Hall doors swung open, and Hermione entered the room, almost immediately running to Harry and Ron. I pang of pain hit my heart, even though I knew that it was obviously going to happen. I glanced over at the Ravenclaw table and saw Luna. I realised just how much I liked her, but I also realised that it was too late because Luna gave me a glare full of hatred.

The food appeared and we all started eating. I didn't speak to anyone and focused on my plate, so I nearly jumped of my seat when someone slid in beside me. It was Hermione. She smiled at me. "Hey, Neville! How you doing?" she asked brightly.

"I'm okay," I said, and I told her of the incident with Malfoy. She was shocked, but I thought I saw her smile when I said that Luna wasn't happy with me.

"Look," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper, "I know about the visits, I was still awake."

I nearly choked on my chicken drumstick. "What?" I said loudly, and a few people glanced towards us.

"I know about the… the kiss," she said quietly.

I panicked and started chattering about a get-well-soon kiss, nothing personal. She smiled, and I didn't know what to think. "It's okay, I won't tell anyone! I was just letting you know that I think you're an amazing friend, and I don't want to lose you again," she told me.

My heart sunk. An amazing _friend_. It was then that it was pointless chasing after Hermione, we were never going to become more than friends. I smiled back. "I don't want to lose you either."


	6. Detention

Our feet slapped across the dungeon's floor as we raced to get to Potions on time. We rounded a corner and slid into the classroom. "Ah, Mr Longbottom, Mr Finnigan. Late again, are we? 20 points from Gryffindor for foolish behaviour!" Snape said, his cruel voice taking rather too much pleasure in taking points from Gryffindor.

We both groaned automatically. "Another 5 points from Gryffindor for questioning the teacher's authority!" he snapped, which made no sense to us at all.

When we had sat down, Malfoy and his 'body-guards' entered the room. "Quickly now! Lesson is beginning!" Snape said.

That was all, no points gone, no shouting, just a small warning. Snape was the only bias teacher at the school, well; Dumbledore did seem to favour the Gryffindors a little more than the others, but that was nothing like Snape with the Slytherins. They could murder someone and Snape would find someway to punish the Gryffindors.

The lesson began with a short speech from Snape. He gave one on every first Potion lesson of the year, and I had begun to care less and less of the words coming out of his mouth. He talked us through the new aspects of potion making we would be learning this year, such as how to brew a potion using the flames. I hated potions, which was a shame because I knew it was just the teacher. "Mr. Longbottom, would you like to tell me what I just said?" Snape asked me, suddenly appearing beside me.

"Oh- um… uh-," I stuttered

"Exactly! You weren't paying attention at all, where you? 10 points from Gryffindor, and you, Neville Longbottom, have landed yourself a week's detention. Be here at eight o'clock, tonight, otherwise it will be two weeks," he yelled.

Why? What had I been doing that the others weren't? He was always picking on me, more than Harry, which always puzzled me. He resumed his talk, going on and on until the end of the lesson. "Next week I want a whole 2 parchment essay on the uses of Bezoars. No excuses!"

We pushed out of the class room and marched up the stairs. I was trying to get as far away from the dungeons as possible. It always made me feel claustrophobic. I knew that later today I would be here again, and then the next day, and then the next…

"Thanks, Longbottom. First day of the school year and you've already put us in the lead!" Malfoy joked.

Ever since I had punched him he had been on my case as much as Snape. Of course, he and his dopes pretended it never happened. They wouldn't want to be shamed for being beaten by a girl and a loser. But the pretending didn't stop the tormenting, which had increased in the past day. I already knew this was gong to be a hard year. I hadn't tried to make up with Luna this year, but I had become quite good friends with Seamus and Dean. Harry and Ron were also nice to me, and I was starting to hang out with them as well. Hermione, of course, was always with them, but she still talked to me a lot. We had formed a group, but I couldn't help noticing the gap of were Luna should be.

Seamus and I walked down to our first Care of Magical Creatures lesson. It was taught by Hagrid, which was always good, but I didn't really know Hagrid much. The day went on, lessons passed. I dreaded the end of the day, but eventually, it came.

On my way to my detention, I saw Malfoy waiting for me. "Oy, Longbottom! We can see you!" he yelled out when I tried to hide.

"What do you want?" I asked, knowing perfectly well what he wanted.

"We have some unsettled business which I need to sort out," he told me gleefully.

"Look, I've got to go to Professor Snape, so just leave me alone,"

"Hmm… I don't thin so, maybe you should have thought before you hit me. I want to challenge you for a duel," he said.

I didn't know many spells, but I didn't see much point to reject, he'd just force me. "Okay," I said, surprising Malfoy.

I took out my wand, and so did Draco. He raised his wand and sent a spell hurtling towards me. I ducked and rolled on the stone floor, stopping then firing a Jelly-legs jinx at his feet. He jumped over it, laughing, and sent the same spell flying at me. I tried to dodge it again, but it struck my left arm which immediately went numb. "You're as bad as your parents! If they were better, maybe they wouldn't have been caught and sent to that nut-house!"

Malfoy had just taken a bad move. No one insulted my parents. I raised my wand and sent a stupefy spell I'd learnt a bit of in my books, which hit him square in the chest. He fell to the ground and was in a deep sleep. "You gonna pay for that, Longbottom," said Goyle, as both he and Crabbe ganged up on me.

Two jelly-legs jinxes travelled past shoulders, hitting both of the idiots in the face. I turned to see Hermione and Seamus, standing with their wands out. "Thanks!" I whispered to them, and I jumped past the two boys rolling on the floor. I entered the classroom just in time, and to my surprise, Luna was sitting in the front row. "Mr Longbottom, take a seat," Snape said.

I sat down next to Luna, but she didn't even as much glance at me. "Today, you will be cleaning out cauldrons for me, you will be here for an hour, and when that hour is up you will be excused and will leave until the next day. Get a move on then!" Snape informed us.

Luna and I got to work. The amount to gunk you can find in a used cauldron is amazing. I found the carcass of a flobberworm, mangled and disgusting, but Luna didn't even wrinkle her nose at the mess. When Professor Snape left the room, I urged a few words out to Luna. "Look, I'm sorry about last term, it wasn't even a proper kiss, just a peck. Anyway, Hermione said herself that we'd never be more than friends. I just want you to know that if I had a second chance, I would've walked out with you. It was only a get-well-soon kiss,"

I had been rehearsing the apology in my head throughout the summer, but I didn't get to say it until now. Luna took a deep breath and was about to reply, when Professor Snape walked back into the room. We didn't get another opportunity to talk then on, and only once we had made a huge pile of Snake Fangs, Porcupine Quills and random bits of animals' internal organs in the bin, were we allowed to leave. Outside the classroom, Luna and I stood for a while. Luna broke the silence. "I know you that you like Hermione, and I know that she likes you, but as a friend. What I don't know is why I feel jealous. Maybe it's rackspurts, or something else messing with my brain, but for some reason, I just don't want to forgive you. When Snape started insulting you in class, I defended you, and he gave me a detention, and I don't have a clue why I bothered. My whole mind is just mixed up, and until you give me a clear sign that you don't love Hermione, then I can't forgive you…" she said, the last words pierced me like daggers.

How can I show her that I don't like Hermione in that way, when I really do? I was completely confused. I closed my eyes and thought. Eventually, I decided to do the only thing I could do, and with closed eyes, leant forward to kiss Luna's cheek, but she wasn't there. I opened my eyes and realised that while I was thinking, Luna had walked away. I also realised how stupid an idea it was, and I was almost happy she had left.

I started the long walk back to the common room and the only thing I was thinking about was how I was to prove myself to Luna. And then it struck me. I couldn't…


	7. The Passwords

"Password, young warrior," Sir Cadogan said to me.

"Troll Bogies," I said with uncertainty.

"Incorrect! Are you of the Gryffindor house?" he asked me.

I stood outside the Gryffindor common room, irritably arguing with the substitute portrait. Ever since the Fat Lady was attacked by Sirius Black it had been impossible for me to get into the common room, as Sir Cadogan kept on changing the password, and I could hardly ever remember it. Apparently it was for 'safety regulations' but I still lost my temper with him every time. "You remember me from last week! I couldn't get in because you had changed the password! It's the same situation again! Just let me in, I'm wearing the Gryffindor robes, and to be frank, do I look like a murderer?"

"That is not the rules, young fighter. You may be part of a cunning plan!" Sir Cadogen told me.

"But I'm just a student!" I yelled at him. "And don't call me a 'warrior' or 'fighter' because I'm not! I'm a useless kid who can't even remember a stupid password,"

After five minutes of yelling random words at Sir Cadogan, I was about to give up when Seamus came up behind me. "Flobberworm Mucus" Seamus said, and immediately the portrait swung open.

"Enter, friend," Sir Cadogan said to Seamus, and we both entered.

"How am I supposed to remember some random word that he has made up on the spot, and he changes it every day?" I said, my nostrils flaring like I'm about to blow fire out of them.

"He is a bit of a prick, but it is for our safety. Sirius Black is out there, and we've got to be protected. Just remember the password, it's not that hard," Seamus said calmly to me.

I glared at him. How can I remember it, it seemed impossible to me. I sighed and walked up to the dormitory with Seamus. Over this year, Seamus and I had become good friends. He was friendly, but he could turn nasty if you offended the Irish in anyway. One other thing about him; he liked t swear. A lot.

I got put my note of which I had filled with the weeks passwords and wrote the new one on it. I stuffed the piece of paper into my pocket and walked off to the Library, my bag slung over one shoulder.

When I got there I saw Hermione. Her head was buried in a textbook, probably on Transfiguration. This had become a usual thing, every Friday afternoon we would meet up and get our homework out of the way. I slumped down next to her and she looked up and smiled. "How's Luna? Have you managed to talk again?" Hermione asked sincerely.

Her opinion of Luna and I had changed greatly. She no longer felt jealous, she no longer felt that way to me. She had begun to fancy Ron, although she never told anyone, and both Hermione and Ron were oblivious to each others feelings. I had begun to feel a friendship between us though, a good one, better than before. I didn't care about her feelings for Ron though; all I cared about was Luna. Luna hadn't talked to me after our week of detention, and since then we hadn't had much of a chance to talk anyway. She walked about on her own, and we only nodded to each other when we did pass each other. I couldn't see anyway out of the dilemma between Luna and me so I just let it be that we didn't talk.

As we worked, we chatted about lessons and teachers. Once we had finished our work, I left Hermione and decided to check on the plants I had been growing down by the Black Lake. I scrambled down the steep hill to the water and when I reached the water, my heart fell. Every single plant I had been growing had been torn out by the roots. I didn't even have to wonder who had done it because Draco Malfoy came out from behind a tree wearing a smug look on his face, his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, standing on either side of him. "How's your little Herbology experiment going?" Malfoy smirked, and I gritted my teeth so hard that they felt that they were going to crack.

"Piss off Malfoy," I murmured.

"What did you say?" he asked me, "does somebody want to go for a swim with the squid?"

"No, not really, but I think your body-guards might, they look like they haven't had a bath in months," I said and I started to back away from the edge of the water.

As dumb and slow as Crabbe and Goyle seemed, they moved surprisingly quickly and before I knew it they had grabbed me by the arms and legs and were rocking me backwards and forwards, dangerously close to the water. "If I heard it right, you can't swim?" Malfoy questioned me.

I was shaking vigorously, trying to get out of the hooligans' grip, but their strong hands were wrapped tightly around my limbs. "Better learn quickly then!" Malfoy chuckled, and I was released in mid swing, falling to the surface of the water. I had just enough time to see Hermione and Luna running towards the scene before I impacted on the surface.

The water was freezing, even colder that the time I was shoved of the pier. I struggled to the surface, just as I had when I was eight. The water had become very deep very fast and I was floating further and further away from the air, despite my struggles. A figure suddenly appeared in my vision and they dived under to grab me. I was shoved up to the air and I gasped and spluttered. The figure was Luna. "You really need to learn how to swim!" she laughed.

We swam to the shore, were Malfoy and his mates had ran from Hermione's wrath. "Neville! Are you all right?" Hermione asked.

"I'm fine, it's okay! Thanks for coming to help," I said to the others.

"Luna saw you and Malfoy and she knew that you were in trouble so she found me. I scared them away with her stupefy curse," Hermione laughed.

I smiled at Luna and Hermione. We all walked up to the castle together, Luna and me dripping water everywhere. Hermione went off to Harry and Ron, leaving Luna and I alone. "So…" I said, making it even more awkward.

"Look, it's okay Neville, I let it go ages ago, I just didn't have the courage to tell you that I made a huge deal over nothing," Luna said.

I stepped towards her and hugged her tightly. I didn't care if anyone laughed at us or thought it was strange because, well… we both were strange. But Luna was my best friend, and I never wanted her to let her go. I had a crush, bigger than any crush I had ever had on Luna, because she was just so unique and strange. "Better not stand soaking wet for to long, Hiplitsors get are attracted to people who are soaking, and they can posses your mind and make you talk gibberish,"

I found myself laughing, much to Luna's annoyance. She hated being laughed at. We both walked to the Ravenclaw common room and I left her there, bidding her good night. When I reached the Fat Lady's portrait, Sir Cadogan asked me for the password. "Flobberworm Mucus," I said clearly.

"Incorrect! Are you of the Gryffindor house?" the knight asked me.

"For God's sake!" I yelled, wanting to smash through the painting.

"It was 'Flobberworm Mucus' two hours ago!" I screeched.

"Correct, _was_, young soldier, _was_! I have now changed it, you have to locate a fellow Gryffindor and find out if you wish," he told me, leaping with his sword out, swishing and cutting the air.

I stormed off, still dripping with water and found a Percy Weasley, who was now head-boy. "Do you know what the password is?" I asked him angrily.

"Why are you dripping wet?" He asked.

"Does it matter? I need a towel and Sir Cadogan's changed the password, again,"

"Yes, he is pretty annoying. The password is 'Dragon Blood'" Percy told me, "Next time be more polite when you ask the _Head-Boy _for something," and with that he stalked off.

On my way back to the portrait I took out the piece of paper with the previous passwords, which was now soaking, and scribbled the new password onto it. "Ah, the soldier is back from his mission. Was it successful?" He asked me.

"Dragon Blood!" I said, making him jump.

The door swung open and I stormed inside, not realising that my note of passwords had fallen out of my pocket and had floated onto the ground.

The scream brought me back to consciousness. I glanced around the dark room, looking for the source of the noise. Dean lit his lamp, showing a petrified Ron, eyes wide with terror. "Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!" Ron screamed.

Confusion turned into fear and we all ran down from our dormitories and into the common room, where a group of people had gathered. No body believed Ron, but he insisted he was telling the truth. Professor McGonagall entered and after a rushed conversation with Sir Cadogan, it became clear that Ron was telling the truth as Sir Cadogan let a man into the room, because he had the password written on a piece of paper. I ran upstairs and discovered that the piece of paper I had had was no longer there. It was all my fault…


	8. Midnight Monster

The rest of third year went by in a blur of confusion and shock. The confusion being all the subjects and the shock being Sirius Black and all the rumours. I had no idea which story to believe, one person saying that he escaped from the grips of the dementors and another telling that Sirius Black was in fact a friend and helped Harry. Neither of these did I find believable, yet nobody had any idea what the truth was. Harry seemed happy enough which was a shock after a murderer whose only ambition was to kill Harry had escaped with his life. I was back on the train back home in no time, sitting happily with Luna, who was later going to be coming over to my house for a sleepover with Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, Ginny Weasely and Yvonne Richie (a friend of Luna). We all sat in a compartment of the train chatting and munching on sweets. Although we were aged different, none of us really seemed to care or take note. I had let out Trevor, who was oozing this odd gel from his mouth onto Dean's lap, much to his disgust. "You really need to take it to a vet or just kill it!" Dean said, as he swept Trevor off his lap and tried to wipe the mulch off of his jeans.

"I told you! It's ever since Snape tested that potion on him that he has started… oozing," I replied, not knowing of a better medical term for the condition.

I took out a tissue and started wiping the gel sort of thing off of the creature, while Dean mumbled about wanting a tissue himself. "Anyway, if I got rid of Trevor, Nan would _kill _me," I said, shuddering from the yelling I had last got for losing the toad.

"I think he's cute," said Luna, and everyone laughed.

"Of course you do, Luna. You would think Banshee was cute if you ever saw one," Seamus chuckled.

We continued blathering and then after what seemed like no time, we had arrived at the station, but seeing as they were all coming over, we didn't bother with goodbyes. We went over to Nan, and I nearly exploded with laughter. She was wearing that vulture hat, and the last time I had seen that hat was when a boggart shaped Snape was wearing it. Seamus and Dean both burst into fits of giggles, while Yvonne, Ginny and Luna stood confused. "Hurry up now you lot! Why are you smirking like that, Neville? Oh, come here boy!" she said, and pulled me into a tight hug which pressed the air out of my lungs, nearly squashing Trevor to death.

"Oh, thank the heavens! That blasted toad of yours is still living I se- ugh!" she stopped halfway through her sentence to wipe a bit of ooze off of her dress. "Scratch that last, is _just _still living. Never mind though, he'll be good enough for another year!"

Gran went on talking about what had been happening since I had last seen her at Easter. I didn't know whether to be pleased or upset that Uncle Algie had got a cold, after all, he was the one dangling me out of windows and shoving me off of piers into the freezing British sea. We walked through the barrier of Platform 9 and ¾ and joined the muggle world, were everything looked so less exciting and too serious than the year at Hogwarts. We all took the underground with our luggage to the outside of London and then all 7 of us walked the short distance to the house. I had really missed this place. The driveway was ridged with bushes and the walls were a lemon colour. It wasn't much, but I really liked the place. "That's weird. Neville Longbottom, the boy top of Herbology, has a messy garden?" Seamus laughed.

"Oh no, that's what we always do. We leave the garden for Neville to do when he gets back on his request. It's really sweet of him, don't you think?" Nan asked them.

Dean and Seamus sniggered and I felt my ears burn. We entered the house, and I told the girls to go into the spare bedroom, and the other boys to put their stuff in my bedroom. As I entered my room, I saw Dean picking up a book. "_Carnivorous Fungi and How to Avoid Them_? Seriously? You read _this_ in your free time? You're not Hermione, are you?" he laughed, and he dumped his luggage on the floor.

Again, I felt my face burning. When the girls were ready, we went downstairs for dinner, which was chicken and bacon lasagne, my favourite. We chatted while eating and then after we had finished eating, we all left to go to a river nearby.

It was a short stroll, and the night was still warm from the summer's day. Today had been a heat wave, and the temperature had reached the 30 degree point, making the warmth almost unbearable. We all arrived at the river and sat down on the bank. We lounged around; talking about what teacher was the worst, which everyone agreed was Snape. Seamus decided to go paddling, but his plans were changed into a full drenching when Dean shoved him in. We all laughed, and I glanced over at Luna. Her pale blonde hair was so neat and perfect, her smile so amazing, showing a perfect set of teeth. I was amazed that no one else could see her beauty. She caught my gaze, and my eyes felt like diverting, but I just ended up staring into her baby blue eyes. I was about to do something stupid, like kiss her or ask her out on a date, but Seamus got in the way. He had plonked right in-between our gaze, not knowing he had just ruined a happy moment. He dripped water all over me, and was cursing loudly at Dean. "What the fuck is your problem! Stop laughing! It's not funny! Me mam will murder me!" he yelled as he sent looks of daggers at Dean, who still hadn't stopped laughing.

I sighed, my shoulders heavy. What should I do? Ask her out? Tell her how I felt? What ever the answer was, it wasn't showing. We gathered our stuff up and walked back to the house. When we got back, it was dark, so we all got ready for bed. After an hour of small talk, Nan came in and ordered us to go to sleep. I crawled up in my bed, Dean and Seamus on makeshift beds. The three girls went into their room and then gran turned the hall light off. Silence spread throughout the house.

I tossed and turned in my bed, but no matter what I did, I couldn't get to sleep. I felt like something wasn't right in the room, so I sat up and glanced around the room. A cloak lay flat in the centre of the room. I sighed and settled down again, and then I remembered something. Nobody had left a cloak in the room. Nobody had even been _wearing_ a cloak when I they arrived. I shivered, but then got to grip with myself. It's just a cloak, probably gran's or something. But as I thought this I saw some movement in the corner of my eye. The cloak was sliding across the floor, towards the door.

I nearly choked. A Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson suddenly came to mind. "The Lethifold is a terrible but rare creature that lives in the magical world. It tends to be found in the Indonesia area, and it has a clever way of killing it's pray. It is sort of like a Boa Constrictor, as it suffocates it's pray and swallows it whole. Its pray has been known to be humans, and it mostly goes for sleeping victims. To fend of a Lethifold you can use the patronus charm, but kicking has also been known to work. It appears to look like a cloak, but don't let it deceive you," was what Professor Lupin had said.

I saw the creature slide out the door and towards the spare bedroom. Luna! I nearly shouted out loud. I got out of my bed, grabbed my wand and shook Dean and Seamus until they woke. "What the…?" Seamus asked, but I put my finger to my lips.

They followed me into the hall, where I saw the creature move into the girls' bedroom. We crept silently down the hall, and then there was a scream. It was long, high pitched, muffled and it was coming from Luna. I broke into a run and burst into the room. The beast had wrapped itself around Luna and was squeezing tightly. I raised my wand and sent curse after curse at it, but nothing happened. I panicked, and thought about Luna. She couldn't die, it wouldn't be fair. I wouldn't have been able to tell her that I love her. I imagined her happy smiling face, her perfect hair. A warm sensation filled me and suddenly a silver tiger burst out of my wand. I yelled in shock, but then the Lethifold shrunk into the shadows and with a crack it had disappeared. I realised what the tiger had been, it was my patronus, but I never thought it would be a tiger. A tiger seemed ferocious, a warrior, not anything like me. Luna coughed, and Yvonne and Ginny looked about in surprise.

I then realised something. A Lethifold lived in Indonesia, so it couldn't live in England. Someone must've put it in my bedroom. Someone who wanted me dead…


	9. Ball Brawl

_Stop looking at her, stop looking at her, stop looking at her!_, I thought, while I sat on the pebbly beach of the Black Lake, watching Victor Krum stare at Hermione. They caught each others gaze and he smiled at her, making her face flush the colour of Ron's hair, who was sat beside her. Ron appeared to be observing the scene with discomfort, too. I wanted to smash the smile clean off of Krum's pumpkin-shaped head.

I _knew _that I should have just let Hermione go, but whenever I saw her, I felt all weird inside, and whenever I saw Luna, the guilt crushed my lungs. I know what you'll be thinking, _forget Hermione, Neville, you love Luna,_ and, _geez, this is getting repetitive, _but seriously, if you have liked two girls at the same time, you'll know what I was going through. Despite the fact that I had saved Luna's life by using the happiness I felt whenever I was around her, Luna seemed to be taking to a guy called Rolf Scamander in her year, who is equally as absurd as she is, and has been ever so slightly been avoiding me since I saw them together… alone… in the deserted girls bathroom… holding hands… _Anyway._

So now, my attention was fully focused on Hermione. Sort of. I still felt the hated towards Rolf _Scum_ander (as I like to call him) every time I saw him. Sorry, again, I'm getting onto the Luna/Rolf thingy again.

Hermione was a few metres away from where I sat with Seamus, Dean, Ginny and Yvonne. Ever since the attack on Luna, which was 5 months ago, Yvonne had been very quiet, and every thing she said to me was short and awkward. We were all doing homework for History of Magic, the most boring of subjects in both the Muggle and Wizarding world combined, worse than Maths or even Latin. I'm still glaring at the empty-headed, I-can-get-any-girl- I-want buffoon, when a crowd of girls break up my view, asking for autographs, like they don't all have at least fifty each. "Whoa! I think Neville's jealous of someone!" said Seamus, scoffing at me while I continued to send looks of knives at Krum.

"Lay off Neville, how would you feel if the girl you liked is fancied by the hottest guy in the entire world?" Ginny asked, her voice dreamy.

"I don't fancy her!" I yelled, obviously a little too loud as half the people out on the beach glanced over at me, including Hermione.

I turned away from Seamus and the others so that they couldn't see me blush. I rushed on with my work; finishing the essay in a few minutes and stomping my way back up to the castle. The snow must have been at least a foot deep, and the whole of the Black Lake had frozen over, making it the perfect place for a snowball fight, and for some reason everyone liked to do their homework there.

I settled in the common room, lying feet first in front of the fire, my nose and ears warming up and itching with the sudden change of cold to hot. Then I suddenly remember something. The Yule Ball is in two weeks. Crap…

_Two Weeks Later_

I waited in the Entrance Hall, butterflies swarming in my stomach. The weeks had passed a bit too quickly for my liking, and 3 days before the day, I finally plucked up the courage to ask a girl from Beauxbatons, let me give you the conversation.

Me; "Hi, I mean, hey, hello,"

Girl; "Hi?"

Me; "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the ball with me,"

Girl; "No"

Me; "I- umm… okay, bye,"

It took her not even a _second _to shoot me down, that must be a record. After that horrible experience I had lost every single grain of courage, so on the last night before the ball, I was surprised out of my wits when Ginny came over to me and asked whether I'd like to go with her, clearly stating that we were going _as friends_.

So there I was, standing in the hall, my fingers fidgeting with the buttons on my cloak. I found Ginny in the crowd thronging outside the Great Hall doors, wearing a pretty, purple and pink sleeveless dress. I went over to her and greeted her. "Hey, Ginny! I like your dress," I said.

"Thanks. Have you seen Yvonne and Seamus anywhere? They said they'd meet us here," Ginny asked, obviously trying to get more people to make this less awkward.

I started searching through the crowd, but I couldn't find them. Then I catch my first glance at her, and I gasp.

Hermione. Her dress made her look mature, beautiful even _more _out of my league. Then Victor Krum slid into view and took her arm, at which she beamed. "Oy, perv boy! Stop drooling at Hermione and accompany me to the hall, will you?" I hear Ginny say, and I snapped out of it and do what I'm told.

We entered the Hall and gasped. Fake snow flakes floated down from the ceiling, which faded away before they reached the sea of heads of the pupils in the hall. Icicles and ice sculptures stood tall on table. Snacks lay on silver tables and a huge dance floor was cleared in front of a massive stage. One glance of the hall, and you were mesmerized. It was only when Seamus and Yvonne came over that we snapped free from the gaze.

We all settled down at a table and waited for the other pupils to collect inside. The orchestra started playing and before long, Ginny and I were twirling round and round the hall. In our enthusiasm, we by accidentally barged into another couple. It took me a while until the dizziness wears off and then I realised who they were. Luna and Rolf. And then began the awkwardest conversations of all time.

"Umm, hey Luna, hello Rolf," I said after 10 seconds of silence "how's it going, seeing as I haven't been able to talk to you in a long while."

At this remark, Luna looks down and all of a sudden becomes engrossed with her ring on her hand. It's Rolf who answered. "Things are going swimmingly. This is one of the most amazing parties I have ever been to!"

_Like someone has ever invited _you _to a party before,_ I think, and I almost said it aloud. Another long silence. "Well, I'm off to the girls' lavatory," Luna said.

"I'll escort you!" Rolf replies.

As they started to walk off, I called after them. "This time lock the door if you don't want anyone to walk in when you're snogging!"

Rolf turned on his heels. "Pardon me?" He asked angrily.

"You know clearly what I said," I retorted.

"Neville, I-" Luna started to say, but I interrupted her.

"Maybe next time I save your life you'll try not to avoid me," I said heatedly.

"_Neville!_" Luna shrieked, but this time it is Rolf who cuts in.

"Don't you ever talk to her like that again!" he shouted at me.

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have a girl to play tongue-tennis with!" I yelled.

People had stopped dancing around us to see what was happening. "You are such an arrogant boy!" Rolf said to me, his nostrils flaring.

"Don't call me a boy, you little dick! You're a year younger than me!" I practically shrieked.

"I maybe younger, but I can still beat you up!" he replied, and all of a sudden, his fist came flying at my face.

I caught his hand, twist it round behind his back, making him yelp. He escaped my grip and turns to face me, and I pound him on the side of his face, leaving him sprawled on the floor. Ginny and Luna were both shocked, Luna even crying, while the crowd around us cheered and chanted my name, all because I won a fight. Professor McGonagall stormed right into the middle of the ring the observers had formed around us and shrieks in a shrill voice. "NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM! Of all the people of this _entire _school! I am extremely disappointed in you! For heavens sake! Both of you will receive detentions for a month!" Rolf, who was picking himself off of the ground started to complain, "No ifs, no buts! 20 points will be taken from both Houses and I will be writing to your parents! I am very, _very _ashamed of you two!" And she stormed off, the same way she stormed in.

Rolf was sending me death sentences through looks, but I didn't care about that. What I cared about was the look on Luna's face, the shame, the anger, and the guilt.

And for some crazy reason, I felt pleased.


End file.
